Daughter of Gail and Keith Foran, of...

BRIGID FORAN, 16,

Honored for: Representing Carroll County on Youth RISE!, a 26-member student advisory group that will assist in implementation of Maryland's new student service requirement.

Brigid applied last fall for RISE!, or Representatives Involved in Service-learning Education, and was chosen by the Maryland Student Service Alliance, part of the Department of Education.

Students must complete by graduation 75 hours in community service of their choice, ranging from student government to volunteering to visit residents in nursing homes.

Brigid already has been an active volunteer, working about 25 hours a week for the Clinton-Gore political campaign and meeting the candidates. At the age of 12, she worked on Michael S. Dukakis' presidential campaign.

She manages the varsity softball team at South Carroll High, spends one period a day as an aide for science teacher and mentor Julie Janowich, and has volunteered at the South Carroll Senior Center.

As part of her work on Youth RISE!, she will talk to eighth-graders at county middle schools this spring, helping them learn about the new requirement.

Goals: To attend college, and to always be as successful as she is now.

Comments: "The first impression parents get when they hear about this is, 'Oh, my gosh, my kid's going to have to work.' But most of the time, they just look at the number -- 75 hours. That's what scares people off. It doesn't all have to be off school time."

Carroll schools will count some classwork in home economics and vocational classes toward the requirement.

Service can pay off for the student, Brigid said. "I did have the HTC opportunity to meet both Bill Clinton and Al Gore."

Brigid spends a lot of time on service activities, and found that the busier she got, the better her grades became.

"I used to get B's and C's. Now I get A's and B's. It's really weird. My grades are better now than when I started," she said. "I love helping others.

"My friends get a little annoyed with me when I can't go out as much," she said. "My boyfriend's mother invited me to go to Ocean City with them this weekend. I said, 'Like I really have time to go to Ocean City!'

"Can I get in one more thing? Thanks, Mom and Dad. And also, thanks, Mrs. Janowich. The three of them have really helped me."